Inventive concept relate to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to a method of controlling standby mode body biasing of a semiconductor device to reduce power consumption.
In general, as the importance of the portability of electronic devices, such as a mobile phone and a camera, has been emphasized, much attention has been paid to technology of securing a maximum duration of use of electronic devices without an external power source. Many attempts have been made in various fields to secure a maximum duration of use. For example, electronic devices have been designed to include as many batteries as possible or technology improving the performances of batteries has been developed. In addition, electronic circuits included in an electronic device have been designed to improve the performances of the electronic circuits and minimize undesired power consumption or leakage current during an operation of the electronic device. Furthermore, technology improving power efficiency even while external power is supplied to an electronic device has been developed.
An electronic device may operate in any of various operation modes so as to minimize leakage current. For example, the electronic device may enter a standby mode to reduce power consumption according to a request from a user or after a predetermined time period so as to appropriately discontinue supply of power to electronic circuits in the electronic device and may then return back to a normal operation mode. The standby mode may be referred to as a sleep mode or an idle mode, according to a degree of power consumption. There is an interest in developing a technology to allow an electronic device that is in the standby mode to return back to a normal operation mode as rapidly as possible, and storing predetermined information for restoring user information before the electronic device enters the standby mode. Accordingly, development of a power gating technology whereby power consumption may be minimized and desired information may be retained in the standby mode is required.